Betrayal
by Halo Cyan
Summary: Sephiroth has betrayed Aerith, now he's going back to make amends.


**Well, if I'm writing stories, you know that exams are coming up. It's the only time I ever do write. Terrible isn't it? Anyway, don't know where this came from, but I was listening to a pretty unique song while writing.**

**Anyway...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, the characters or the setting. All rights go to Square Enix.**

**Betrayal**

He had to save her. Just once again, he wanted to feel her lips against his, her breath hot on his chest. He could not believe what he had done. What was he? Truly a monster.

"Hold on Aerith, I'm coming" Sephiroth panted as he ran towards the Shin-Ra building. By now they were probably cutting her open. The last Ancient. The only one he loved.

Raindrops battered down on him soaking his leather coat. Drenching his long hair and making it twice as heavy as it already was. His wet boots squelched on the tar. More than once he skidded as he rounded a corner.

"I'm so sorry Aerith!" He howled into the night. He crashed through a narrow alley upsetting a cluster of metal bins on the way. They made an awful clanging that filled the narrow space. Sephiroth winced at the noise but did not slow his pace.

A rouge bottle got in his way and he placed his foot on it. It rolled under him and sent him tumbling backwards. He gasped as sharp stones cut into his hand. Licking it quickly he scrambled back up and resumed his mad race through the city.

How could he have? She trusted him so much and he'd let her down. Betrayed her. At the time it had seemed right. After all, orders mattered above love, didn't they?

Sephiroth knew now that this was not so as tears of fear and guilt washed down his face, camouflaged by the rain.

He had arrived in sector eight. The rain cast colourful halos around all the streetlights and the shops were lit up with late-night shoppers and lovers moving about ethereally. There was the cafe he had once taken Aerith to. There was the shop where he had bought her a scarf. The restaurant they had gone for her birthday, the theatre where they had seen Loveless.

He tore through Loveless Avenue and into the adjoining street. There was the fountain. It was turned off due to the rain, but the structure still looked regal. It was where they had shared their first kiss. It had been awkward but sweet. Her bright green eyes like the grass in spring looking into his glowing acid-green ones. How long ago it had been. How, why?

He took a sharp turn and ran into the Shin-Ra building. The late night receptionist stared at him, dripping and sagging, in shock.

"Where is Aerith?" He growled at her. The poor woman flinched at his rough voice and stammered something incomprehensible.

"What?"

"I-I don't k-know what you're talking about" She mumbled.

Sephiroth crossed the room in a second and banged his fist down in anger.

"Well, find out!" He yelled at her.

She jumped with terror crossing her features and fled the room. Sephiroth roared in fury.

"AERITH!" _Please Goddess, let her be safe..._

He hated himself so much right now. He didn't know how to search the computer system for people's locations so he just rushed to the elevator and jabbed the button. The elevator took a long while to come down, by that time Sephiroth was close to tearing out his hair in worry.

The doors finally slid open and Sephiroth was in the small metal box before the doors had even fully opened. He pushed the button for floor 57 repeatedly.

"Hurry up" he almost cried again.

At last the doors slid shut and the elevator began it's slow ascent upwards.

Sephiroth leaned his head against the wall and breathed heavily. How had it gone so wrong? So perfectly right?

"_Sephiroth, you have a new assignment" Lazard looked him directly in the eye. Usually this meant that it was a top priority mission._

"_Yes, sir?" Sephiroth asked as he was handed a booklet. He flipped to the first page. A profile of a young woman filled the page complete with a passport size photo of her. _

"_You will find this Aerith girl and bring her in." Lazard said with his voice devoid of emotion._

"_Sir..." _

"_Although there is this one problem. If she finds out that you're trying to take her to Shin-Ra, she may do something dangerous. Try not to man-handle her. Lead her here if you can" _

_Confusion crossed Sephiroth's face. "Dangerous, sir? How, she's just a girl."_

"_Ah, but she's also an Ancient. Who knows what she can do." Lazard said, tidying the papers on his desk. _

"_Then, how shall I bring her in?" _

"_I don't know" Lazard said, annoyance had crept into his voice "Pretend to be her friend or something. Get her to trust you. Now you're dismissed."_

"_Yes sir..." _

That was it. He had found her. Charmed her. Pretended to be her friend. And finally fallen in love with her. He had never intended it, but her shy elegance, her sweet nature and soft voice had won him over. For the first time he had questioned his orders.

He should have kept questioning them.

The elevator finally came to a stop and the doors opened. Sephiroth was out of there like a bullet. He slammed into a lab assistant who was carrying a box of glassware. It clashed to the floor leaving blood where it had cut the assistant's hand. He yowled in pain but Sephiroth paid no heed and ran blindly towards where Hojo's lab was. He reached it at last.

"No, let go of me! Stop!" Aerith's panicked voice met him. Stricken with fear he lunged forward pushing past the various tables to find Aerith in the clutches of two lab assistants. Hojo was standing in front of her with his signature clipboard and a malicious grin in his eyes.

"Oh, no, you're not going anywhere my fine specimen." He drawled.

Anger welled up inside of Sephiroth as he saw this. He let out a yell and charged straight at the man. Hojo turned around in surprise and was flung off his feet by a massive fist.

"Aerith, I'm so sorry!"

The lab assistants were dispatched in a similar manner.

"Aerith, please forgive me."

She stood there with in surprise and fear, her shoulders hanging loosely. Her eyes were downcast and a small trickle of tears were making their way down her cheeks.

"Why did you do this Sephiroth?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered "Aerith, please. I did not know what I was doing."

Aerith let out a sob and Sephiroth stepped closer to comfort her. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

She threw it off with sudden violence.

"Why Sephiroth? I hate you!" She screamed.

"No, Aerith..." His heart felt like it was breaking. He wanted to rip it out just to stop raw pain of it.

She began to cry harder.

Unable to hold back, he stepped forward and embraced her, her slender figure melting into his own.

"I'm sorry Aerith, I love you."

She tried to break free unsuccessfully, so she just settled for hitting him on the chest, crying.

After a while she stopped and looked up into his eyes.

"I love you too Sephiroth." She sniffed.

He smiled, "Then let's go away from here. Somewhere where no one can hurt you." He whispered into her hair.

"Yes, let's." She whispered back, finally wrapping her arms around him.

**Tell me what you think. I wrote it half zombified and completely decaffeinated. Cheersies!**

_~Halo Cyan_


End file.
